This is a 10* ACC TOTAL OF THE YEAR on the UNDER UNC/Pitt.

This is a big game obviously for the 5-4 North Carolina Tar Heels. Pittsburgh enters at 7-2. The Tar Heels need one more victory to become bowl eligible, while Pittsburgh is trying to improve its berth.

Pittsburgh most recently crushed Duke 54-29 on the road, while North Carolina roared from behind to beat Wake Forest 58-55 last weekend.

I had play on the Tar Heels there, it was my ACC Game of the Year.

Pittsburgh comes in off a 55-29 destruction at Duke, so both teams enter off extremely high-scoring games.

And because of that, I think this total is now elevated here on Thursday night a little higher than it normally would be. I believe fatigue is now an issue for both teams and that the short turnaround will play a major factor this week as well.

When these teams played last, Pittsburgh won 34-27 and the total went OVER the number. But that contest was back in 2019 and was actually decided in overtime.

North Carolina allows 33.4 points per game, while Pittsburgh allows just 22.7. The Panthers are favored here, but the last thing they'll want to do is turn this into a "track meet." That plays right into the hands of the Tar Heels.

UNC's strengh as well on the offensive side is its run game, a unit which averages 219.4 yards per game.

The Tar Heels have had to play desperately the last few weeks, as they also took Notre Dame right down to the wire, but I say they're exhausted now.

So that's my read here. This number is now just a little too high, my official call is the UNDER in this one.

Good luck, NP